Household appliance



Feb. 4, 1941. E. CULLEN HOUSEHOLD APPLI ANCE Filed June 22. 1958 INiENTOR. Age/V557 Cl/LLE/V .v

A TTORNEY OFFICE I UNITED STATES A PATE HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCE Ernest Cullen, San Diego,-Calif., assignor to John B. Smiley, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application June 22, 1938, Serial No. 215,205

4v Claims. (Cl. 30-16) My present invention relates to a household which provides the handle for the several eleappliance, particularly to a combination tool ments' of the tool, comprising a can opener, for use in the house, store, or other place of punch, or hole forming portion 2, a spout formbusiness. ing portion 3, .a gripping jaw portion 1, a bottle One of the principal objects of this invention cap opener or remover 5, ascrew driver or 6 is to provide an appliance of this class in which pressed-down lid remover 6 and a pointed prying devices of various kinds or for performing vari portion 1. ous functions are not only combined in a handy The device shown may be cast or forged intool but in which one part or portion aids antegrally, or the device maybe formed of a main m other or other parts or portions in performing stamping with other cast or forgedparts welded 10 their respective functions. or otherwise secured thereto. An-important object also is the provision of The can opener, punch, or hole forming pora novel and simple means for opening ormaktion 2 consists ofa piercing or puncturing meming pouring holes in cans, and also to provide her '2, which may be cast or forged and welded, simple means in connection therewith for making or riveted and welded, to the edge and near one 1 pouring spouts on the cans in association with end of the flat or handle member I, opposite or the openings or holes. spaced from a pointed hook portion 2". The A further object is the provision of means for pointed portion of the hook forms a pivot which making pouring holes in metal cans by folding or is placed under the cover seam at the outside rolling inwardly the metal from substantially all of the can, and about which the device is tilted, 29 edges forming the opening. in thedirection of the arrow, for puncturing or Another object of thisinvention. is to provide 7 perforating the can with the member 2* immediaan appliance of this class which is simple and ately adjacent the periphery of the can cover or economical to make, and which will not readily other wall. This member has a front face 2 deteriorate or get out of order. which has a short and sharp lower edge and di- 25 A further object of this invention is to provide verges to the opposite sides from this sharp J an appliance of this class which, when used to lower edge to form substantially a triangular open cans containing carbonated beverages; will front face. The lateral sides 2 of thispuncclose the opening during the punching operation .turing or perforating member-diverge backwardly 30 so that the contents cannot escape due to the f om the lateral edges of the front face a slight effervescence of the liquid. In other words, the distance, and then converge backwardly ingradf puncturing member, during its operation, at all ual curves. Thus, when the lower sharp edge of times fills the openingwhile being made, and the the face 2 engages and is forced into the can puncturing member for this reason is made solid cover or 'wall, the latter is pierced" so that the and of substantial thickness. whole face gradually enters the can cover or'wall With these and other objects in view, as will at anangle. As the appliance is tilted further, appear hereinafter, I have devised a household the flaring or diverging sides 2 of'the member appliance having certain novel features of con- 2 enlarge the perforation in the can until a relstruction, combination and arrangement of parts atively large pouring opening is formed by fold- 40 and portions, as will be hereinafter described in ing inwardly .andbackwardly the metal from 40 detail and particularly set forth in'the appended substantially all edges forming the opening. The claims, reference being had to the accompanying tilting movement of the device is limited by the drawing and to the characters of reference theredownwardly and backwardly extending arm or on, which form a part of this application, in -jaw element, which will be described hereafter.

which: This arm engages the canv cover or wall, thereby Fig. 1 is a perspective view taken'from one side preventing the perforating member from wholly and front end of my household appliance in a passing through the perforated wall and thereby preferred form; preventing said member from becoming stuck or Fig. 2 is a side viewthereof, showing the same difficult of quick removal.

ms position about to puncture a can, shown This member 2' has a securing flange 2' at fragmentarily and by broken lines; one side of' its longitudinal median plane. This Fig. '3 is a front end view thereof; and, flange is positioned against and preferably welded Fig. 4 is a'bot'tomedge view thereof.v to one side .of the handle member. .Thus, the

The household appliance illustrated consists puncturingmember is substantially in alignment Bl essentially of a substantially flat -member I, with the plane of the handle member.

The underside of the puncturing or perforating member is relatively flat, and because of the extended area of its bottom side and because of its weight, it provides an efllcient hammer.

The spout forming portion 3 is located at the same end of the appliance but at the edge opposite the puncturing or perforating portion. This portion 3 is made by merely providing a relatively narrow slot transversely across said edge. This device is placed, after the perforating operation, with the slotted portion over the flange or edge of the can, and then twisted in the direction of the arrow, as shown in Fig. 4. This operation is performed twice, namely, at the opposite sides of the spout to be formed, as shown by broken lines, thereby providing effective pouring means.

The gripping jaw portion 4 is located at the opposite end of the handle member, and consists of jaw elements 4 and 4 with teeth 4 on the inner edge of the jaw element 4". The latter jaw element is preferably a part of or an elongation of the handle member i, while the jaw element 4, arranged substantially in the same plane, diverges outwardly therefrom at the same side of the handle member as the can puncturing portion. Both jaw elements are gradually rounded at their outer edges so that the two together provide a convenient grip for the hand while performing the perforating or punching operation. The teeth 4 are arranged on the edge of the element 4' adjacent the element l It will be here noted that the element 4' serves as an elongation for the handle member so as to provide a longer lever, while the element 4 provides for a wide grip so that the device is not readily tilted to the side when using the puncturing means. This element 4 also serves as a stop means against the perforated lid or other wall of the can, for limiting the insertion of the piercing or puncturing member into said lid or other wall.

The screw driver and pressed-down lid remover 8 is preferably arranged on the ei fd of the handle member at which the puncturing and spout forming portions are located the jaw elements at the opposite end provide a wide handle grip for obtaining considerable leverage for the screw driver and presseddown lid remover.

The bottle cap remover S is arranged on the edge having the spout forming portion but backwardly therefrom. The portion having the spout forming notch or slot is considerablyrounded so that the portions of the cans, on whichthe spouts are to be formed, are readily accessible. This rounded contour of the spout forming portion also forms a novel and effective pivotportion for the cap remover 5.

The end of jaw element 4, at the inner edge thereof, is provided with a pointed portion I to facilitate a prying operation which is often needed in the opening of containers, and the like. .This pointed prying portion I is so located on the device that injury to it or to the hands, cans, or caps will not easily result.

- At the larger head end of the device, that is, at the end provided with the puncturing or perforating means. is provided a hole 8 whereby the appliance may be hung up.

Though'Ihave shown-and described a particular construction, combination, and arrangement of parts and portions, I do not wish to be limited to the same, but desire to include in the scope of my invention the construction, combination. and arrangement substantially as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

I 1. In a can opener, a handle, a hook on said handle, a solid puncturing member adjacent the hook having diverging sides, said diverging away from the hook, the portion adjacent the hook adapted "to initially engage the end wall of the can, said hook being open toward said puncturing member, said puncturing member having a flat puncturing surface and being of substantial thickness so as to fold the edges of the opening of the can inwardly, the flat or puncturing surface being adaptableas a hammer.

2. In a can opener, a handle, a hook at one end of said handle, a solid puncturing member between the hookand the other end of the handle, said puncturing member having diverging sides, said sides diverging away from the hook, the portion adj aeent the hook adapted to initially en e the end wall of the can, said hook open toward said puncturing member, said puncturing member having a flatpuncturing surface and being of substantial thickness so as to fold the edges the opening of .the can inwardly, the flat or puncturing surface being adaptable as a hammer.

3. In a can' opener, a handle, a hook on said handle, a solid puncturing member adjacent the hook having diverging sides, said sides diverging away from the hook, the portion adjacent the hook adapted to initially engage the end wall of the can, said hook being open toward said puncturing member, said puncturing member having a flat puncturing surface and a closed margin and being of substantial thickness so as to fold the edges of the opening of'the can inwardly, the flat or puncturing surface being adaptable as a hammer.

4. In a can opener, a handle, a hook at one end of said handle, a solid puncturing member between the hook and the other end of the handle, said puncturing member having diverging sides, said sides diverging away from the hook, the portion adjacent the hook adapted to initially engage the end wall of the can, said hook being open toward said puncturing member, said puncturing member having a flat puncturing surface and a closed margin and being of substantial thickness so as to fold the edges ofthe opening of the can inwardly, the flat or puncturing surface being adaptable as a hammer.

. ERNEST CULLEN. 

